Shrewsbury School Committee unanimously seeks override

The School Committee voted unanimously tonight to request that the Board of Selectmen place a Proposition 2-1/2 override referendum on the June 25 special election ballot.

School Committee members did not specify a dollar amount for the operational override, but said they will request an amount sufficient to meet the school district's needs for the upcoming fiscal year. In the meantime, school officials must still grapple with closing a $4 million budget gap for fiscal 2014.

In response to a suggestion by the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night that they would consider an override if the School Committee told them what they need, School Committee Chairman Erin H. Canzano said she highly favored the idea.

“I would support, endorse, advocate. … I would stand on my head for an override,” Ms. Canzano said.

School Committee Member Jason F. Palitsch agreed. He called the school budget options currently on the table “unacceptable.” He said he supports an override.

“I know it's an emotional issue. Nothing about this situation is ideal,” Mr. Palitsch said. “We only get one bite at this apple. There's a very real possibility this override won't pass.”

To prepare for that scenario, Superintendent Joseph M. Sawyer presented two reduced fiscal 2014 budget figures to the School Committee, including a level-service budget of $52.36 million and a cut-service budget of $51.23 million that would require several cuts in teaching positions.

School Committee members said the budget figures are “sobering,” but said they will present a balanced budget to voters at the annual town meeting on May 20.

To shrink that gap, School Committee members Wednesday night reviewed several options for additional revenue, including: increasing bus fees, eliminating bus service to areas not mandated by state law, and increasing preschool and full-day kindergarten tuition.

School Business Manager Liam Hurley presented the School Committee with two options for transportation fee increases. The first option would increase next year's annual per-student bus fee from $250 to $280, increasing the annual family cap from $500 to $560.

Mr. Hurley estimated that option would see minimal decline in ridership and increase revenue by $60,000.

The second option presented would increase the per-student bus fee next year to $300 with a $600 family cap.

Mr. Hurley estimated that would bring an additional $100,000 in revenue each year, but said that option runs the risk of losing ridership because of the increase. Mr. Hurley said that, per state law, transportation fees do not apply to families eligible for free or reduced lunch, kindergarteners through sixth-graders who live more than two miles from their school, and to students with disabilities that require special transportation.

School Committee member B. Dale Magee recommended a third option. He said the school district can no longer afford to subsidize ridership, and recommended increasing bus fees to fully cover the cost of transportation. He estimated that fee at $450 per student.

“If we have a bucket of money, and we have to choose whether money goes to buses or to teachers, I would choose teachers over buses,” Dr. Magee said.

Mr. Hurley also presented three options that eliminated bus service altogether within one to two miles of schools. Mr. Hurley estimated that could net the school district an annual savings of between $239,000 and $1.6 million.

Mr. Sawyer warned the School Committee of unintended consequences of canceling bus service, including traffic gridlock around neighborhood schools.

The School Committee said it will review all options and vote on bus fees and whether to change bus service at its next meeting.

School Committee members also reviewed increasing tuition at preschool and full-day kindergarten by 15 percent. Full-day kindergarten annual tuition would increase from $3,200 to $3,700 next year. Preschool tuition would also increase 15 percent based on number of days attended to between $1,897 annually for two days to $3,637 annually for five days.

School Committee members said they will likely vote to approve the increase at the next meeting April 10.

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